


The Merchant's Guild Mess

by Cartadwarfwithaheartofgold (manka)



Series: How to Win a Losing Hand: One-Shots from the Love Story of Varric Tethras and Maria Cadash (Canon Dragon Age Setting) [13]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Dwarf Culture & Customs, F/M, Fluff, Surface Dwarf Culture and Customs, The Merchant's Guild
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:35:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26188078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manka/pseuds/Cartadwarfwithaheartofgold
Summary: Varric has quite a mess with the Merchant's Guild. Maria helps him relax.
Relationships: Female Cadash/Varric Tethras, Female Inquisitor/Varric Tethras, Maria Cadash/Varric Tethras - Relationship
Series: How to Win a Losing Hand: One-Shots from the Love Story of Varric Tethras and Maria Cadash (Canon Dragon Age Setting) [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1896694
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	The Merchant's Guild Mess

It wasn’t often she found herself on this side of the equation. Typically, Maria worked herself down to weariness, until she ached with fatigue in her very bones, and then she kept going. Stubbornness, her sister said. But the world seemed to depend on Maria’s whim just to keep spinning sometimes, and how could she justify putting down her pen until everyone had what they needed? 

When that happened, Varric pulled her away, made her sit, made her sleep. Plied her with sweets, ale, cards until she felt warm and soft around the edges. Until she curled towards him without knowing it, until he could scoop her exhausted form up and slip her in between their sheets. 

Maria had to admit, being on this side of the equation now, Varric possessed the patience of a saint and she did not appreciate him nearly enough. 

Maria could be reasonably sure there was some sort of method to the madness she saw, but damned if she knew what it was. Her man had three ledgers open, an abacus sprawled over two of them. There appeared to be at least five half-written letters to various people she didn’t know spread out over the sofa. A precarious stack of scrolls teetered on the edge of his desk while messengers scurried in and out of the rotunda he’d taken over once it became clear Solas wasn’t coming back anytime soon. 

Varric was dictating something to a scribe. His lips moved, smoothly, as he read another letter. “So as it stands, I regret to inform you that House Tethras has decided to pull…” 

Ah. The Guild. Why was it always the bleeding guild? Maria sank back against the stone and watched, captivated by the torchlight in Varric’s golden hair. Then she swept his eyes over his face as he pushed the reading glasses back up his nose and dropped his attention back to the letter. He held his tension in his brow, a frown tugging his kissable lips down. 

This wouldn’t do at all. 

She grabbed the elbow of one of the messengers. “Beat it.” She ordered, jerking her head at the door. “Take the rest of ‘em with you.” 

“…ma’am?” The girl asked nervously, looking back to Varric. She smiled reassuringly. 

“And see if you can’t get some food sent up to my room? Nothing fancy. And the good ale.” She chirped, pushing herself away from the wall and sauntering over to Varric. He looked up from his parchment as she approached, smiling wearily. 

“Ancestors, I’d forgotten how beautiful you were.” He muttered, pinching his broken nose between his fingers. “How long have I been trapped in the blighted void dealing with this mess? A day?” 

“Near about.” Maria gently plucked the letter from his hands and tossed it on the desk, sliding into the open space in his arms. “Who do I need to shoot?” 

“Who don’t you need to shoot at this point in time?” Varric asked, wrapping her in his sturdy embrace and resting his forehead against hers. “Two-thirds of the Merchant’s Guild, my solicitor, seven Antivan merchants, an Orlesian cheese wholesaler and…” 

“I’ll get started tomorrow.” She nuzzled into his neck, the stubble on his jaw abrading her nose in the best way. “Come to bed. It’s after midnight.” 

“Shit.” He swore, looking helplessly around. “Maria…” 

“It’ll keep.” She promised, taking a step out of his embrace to twine her fingers with his. “I sent for snacks. I’ll even give you a massage.” 

Anything to help him relax, anything to ease the stress furrowing his brow. He chuckled softly and his shoulders lowered just a fraction. Not good enough, but a start. 

“You know. Some peace and quiet sounds like a dream, Princess.” He mumbled, pulling his glasses from his face. “Lead the way.”

**Author's Note:**

> Do you like dwarves? Me too! Check it out at [@cartadwarfwithaheartofgold](http://cartadwarfwithaheartofgold.tumblr.com)


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